Form grading and subgrading machine



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y FORM GRADING AND SUBGRADING MACHINE Filed June 1,

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FORM GRADING AND suBGR-ADING MACHINE Filed June l, 1935 3 Sheets-.SHEETI 2 farm INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jun@ H3., J. H. KNoxE-r Al. 23AM FORM GRADING AND S'UBGRADING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1955 5 sheets-sheet .Een @a/2 @2; 5r.'

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFleE AND SUBGRADING FORM GRADING 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a road building machine for form grading and sub-grading. It is designed to more effectively excavate (than is possible with machines now in use) a smooth continuous grade on which forms may be placed or pavement laid.

It is also designed to remove the excavated materials. The invention may be efficiently used for excavating trenches and the like. It is well known in road building practice and to those familiar with pavement construction that it is necessary to excavate trenches for side forms and to excavate and prepare a smooth even subgrade upon which a pavement may be placed. The machine embodied in this invention accomplishes these purposes with great economy and eiiciency.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for road building which will finish the bearing soil surface to a uniform and predetermined grade or contour and section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which a pair of cutting augers are mounted in vertical position and set to rotate on their longitudinal axes, one rotating clockwise and the other rotating counter-clockwise which will c ut and excavate the earth for grading purposes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apron with propeller mounted thereon for removing excavated materials from the path of excavation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a raising and lowering device to maintain the excavating parts on the predetermined grade.

A further object is the provision of a guiding device which travels along a natural guide line or form and Warns the operator to raise or lower the exc-avating parts as contact is made by the guiding device against the guiding line or form and flashes a red or green signal and` rings'a bell for each signal for high or low grade.

A still further object is the provision of a machine of the class described which will be strong, durable andelicient` and in which the several working parts are not likely to get out of order.

While the means hereinafter disclosed are intended mainly for sub-grade preparation for pavements and road building, it may be used for excavating a trench or ditch to a predetermined section, width and side slopes, by adding .to or rearranging the excavating and material removing unit.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be better understood `from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevational view of the grading device as attached to a tractor.

Figure 2 illustrates a top view or plan showing a tractor with device on right hand side.

Figure 3 is a sectional view and plan showing part of device, frame, and part of driving mechanism exposed.

Figure 4 is a part sectional elevational View showing excavating augers and apron with propeller for removing excavated materials.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of theV spring locking device which operates to hold excavating augers inv relativev position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged rear elevational and sectional view of the yoke frame attached to tractor to support the frame of the grading device by means of pivoted bearings.

Figure '7 is an enlarged side elevational View of apron and propeller with sectional view of gear mechanism connecting driving shaft to propeller. 25

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevational view Of the frame showing counter revolving augers below frame and sectional View of ball and socket elevating screw with bevel gears which operate same.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional View showing tapered socket in upper part of counter revolving augers by means of tapered key and slots.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view of driving gears operated by sprocket chain drive from tractor motor and showing take off drive shait for counter revolving augers and the bevel gears and driving shaft below which operate the propeller.

Figure ll shows enlarged drawing of slotted connections of the universal joints of driving shaft for counter revolving augers, which universal joints allow by means of connecting pins through slots automatic change in length of driving shaft.

Figure l2 shows an enlarged side view of a grade line warning device, electrically operated, when top horizontal arm or tractor arm touches the grade line or grade form an-d warns the operator by a suitable signal such as a bell or light.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein specific parts are indicated by numerals, in Figures l, 3, 4 and 8 l denotes a pair of metal augers set to rotate on their longitudinal axis, one rotating clockwise and the other rotating counterclockwise. Shaft 2 is tapered at its lower end to fit a tapered hole in the shank of augers I and is held rigidly in place by key 3 (see Figure 4). Fastened to the upper end of the shaft 2 by key 5 is gear 4 (see Figure 3) and meshing with gear 4 is worm gear 5, as shown in Figure 3.

Worm gear 6 is part of the driving shaft I9 which is free to rotate in any desired plane as it is divided into two parts and the parts are connected by a universal joint II. The other end of shaft 6 is directly connected to a driving gear which in turn is connected to the driving mechanism of the tractor motor. A metal housing 1 encloses worm gear 6 and gear 4 and the housing is free to rotate a limited distance around the end bearings 8 which are connected to the frame 9.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, I2 is a curved metal bar whose lower end is rigidly connected to housing 1 and having countersunk holes I3 in one side near the upper end. Tapered plug I4 is adapted to be placed in any of the countersunk holes I3 and is held in place by spring I5, the parts I4 and I5 being housed in box I6 which is secured to frame 9.

The purpose of the arm I2 is to fix the position of excavating augers I while operating and acts as a safety device if rock or other obstacles are struck by the cutting edges of augers I which then exert suicient pressure on the bar I2 to overcome the pressure of spring I5 on plug I4 causing it to be released from the hole I3 and allows the arm I2 to move into contact with and push up bar lever I1 which when raised completes an electrical circuit in an obvious manner through the metal frame of the machine and special wiring, not shown in detail, but one wire terminal of which is indicated at I1a in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, said circuit being for an electrically operated device (not shown) for automatically breaking the regular ignition circuit of the tractor motor. At the same time, an upstanding arm I1b on the gearing housing 1 swings upwardly and forwardly with said housing as it pivots on its supporting bearings 8, said arm I1b being pivotally attached to the forward end portion of a connecting rod I1, which latter, in turn, is operatively attached to an obvious element (not shown) which effects the disengagement of the clutch of the tractor motor and thereby stops operation of the tractor and excavating devices automatically.

Referring to Figures l, 4, '7 and 10, I3 is a metal pickup apron rigidly connected to the under side 0f the frame 9 and is set in an inclined position just behind the augers I to pick up and carry away the excavated material which is thrown back by the augers I. Propeller I9 is mounted on the apron I8 and is revolved by shaft 29 fastened on gear 2| within the housing and bearing box 22.

Gears 2| are driven from the tractor motor by shaft 23 which is geared to drive shafts Ill and 20, the shaft 20 being in two parts, and the two sections of the shaft 20 are connected by universal joint 24 to maintain proper alignment during operation.

Referring to Figure 8, 25 is a set of bevel gears, the lower horizontal gear raising or lowering the threaded vertical screw shaft 26 which raises or lowers frame 9 by means of the ball and socket joint 21 which is a flexible connection between frame 9 and screw shaft 29. Screw shaft 2S is raised or lowered by means of bevel gears 25 which are operated by means of shaft 28 as shown in Figure 2. Shaft 28 extends back to the operators seat to Wheel 29 which is hand operated.

Referring to Figures 8, l2 and 2, 30 and 3| are two horizontal metal bars fastened to a nonconducting insulating plate 32 by brackets 33 which act as hinge supports for bars 39 and 3| and allows them to be removed up or down or to either side but by a spring 33 moved back to the original horizontal position when pressure on the bars is released. Insulation plate 32 is fastened rigidly to frame 9. The bar 30 is connected by the electrical conductor 36 to a red signal light 30 and a bell 31 and the bar 3| is connected by a conductor 38 to a green signal light 3| and to said bell 31, as shown in the conventional diagram in Figure 12 of the drawings. The lights 39 and 3| are shown in Figures 1 and 2 as being conveniently located near the controlling hand wheel 29, but the bell 31 (not shown) may be located at any convenient place on the machine, and as the clutch mechanism and automatic devices for throwing out the clutch and breaking the ignition circuit, as just above generally described, may be of any obvious character, it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the said parts in detail in the drawings.

A grade line or form 34 is supported by metal stakes 35 and the grade line 34 is the indicated true direction line set a certain distance above the predetermined final grade to be obtained.

When excavation is ready to be started the motor tractor carrying the excavating device which is part of frame 9, is placed in position so that bars 30 and 3| are one above and one below grade line 34, and frame 9 is lowered so that augers I are in position to excavate at elevation of the predetermined grade.

In operation the operator has only to keep the machine moving forward along the required direction and watch the red and green signal lights and bells which warn him by ringing and by flashing red or green as members 39 or 3| touch grade line 34 and he may immediately adjust the cutting and excavating depth of augers i by means of raising or lowering frame 9 by means of vertical screw 26 operated by hand wheel 29.

Referring to Figures l and 6, frame 9 is supported and pivoted at bearing 36 and counter balanced by weights 31 at the rear end of frame 9 and the frame 9 is moved downwardly by operating hand wheel 29. Saddle frame 38 may be so constructed that it may be rigidly connected to the frame of any motor driven tractor, either at one side or in other desired positions. The saddle frame 38 carries frame 9 which contains the various operating parts of this invention.

For convenience augers I and apron I 8 with propeller I9 are shown as a unit, however, frame 9 may be assembled with augers I in pairs and driven by Worm gear 6 by means of meshing gears 4 so that any determined width of trench or subgrade may be excavated simultaneously and the excavated materials removed from the path of excavation.

The invention is not to be understood as being restricted to the particular form herein shown but may be modified to come within the scope and meaning of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a grading and excavating machine of the character described, signalling means for indieating to the operator the presence of relatively high and low places in the path of the channel being cut, said means comprising a grade line be cut and spaced contact elements arranged on located alongside of the path of the channel to low said grade line and being each connected opthe machine to travel respectively above and be` erably in a separate electrical circuit, whereby, upon rise and fall of the machine in its travel either of said contact elements engages said grade line and effects the closing of the electrical circuit in which the element is included, a signal light of a distinctive color in each of Said electrical circuits, and an audible signal device simultaneously operable with the closing of either of said circuits.

2. In a grading and excavating machine of the character described, a tractor, a vertically adjustable lateral frame on said tractor, counter rotating augers arranged in cooperative pairs in vertical position on said lateral frame, said augers in cutting and digging action carrying the cuttings to the middle of a channel being cut and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the machine, and means rearward of said angers for receiving the cuttings in the channel and delivering and depositing the cuttings alongside of the channel as cut, said means comprising an apron disposed inclinedly upward from the plane of the lower ends of said augers, and a propeller element on said apron for discharging the cuttings therefrom.

3. A grading and excavating machine of the character described, comprising a motor propelled carriage, a vertically adjustable Supplemental frame on said carriage, a cooperative pair of augers swingably supported on said supplemental frame, said augers rotating about parallel vertical axes, power driven mechanism for rotating said augers, means operable when said augers are swung in one direction rendering said driving mechanism inoperative as to said augers, means under the control of an operator for raising and lowering said supplemental frame at will, said angers in cutting and digging action carrying the cuttings towards the middle of a channel being cut and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the machine,ran upwardly inclined apron rearward of the augers, whereby to receive the cuttings in the channel, and a power driven propeller device in cooperative relation to said apron whereby to deliver and deposit the cuttings alongside of the channel.

4. The machine as set forth in claim 3, and further comprising means for automatically stopping travelling movement of the carriage and simultaneously stopping operation of the augers.

5. In a machine of the character and for the purpose specified and comprising a tractor, a Vertically adjustable supplemental frame on said tractor, an excavating element yieldably supported on said supplemental frame, means for operating said excavating element from the driving power means of said tractor, means for automatically stopping operation of the tractor and Said excavating element simultaneously upon the meeting of the excavating element with resistance Suflicient to cause it to yield from normal working position, and means for indicating presence of high and low places in the path of the excavating element in its normal working position, said means comprising separate visible signal elements of distinguishable character, one to indicate a high place and the other a low place, an audible signal device operable simultaneously with either or both of said visible signal elements, and means for operating said visible and audible signal elements and device comprising a grade guide line paralleling the path of the excavating element, and a pair of vertically spaced operating elements for said signal elements and device extending laterally from said supplemental frame, respectively above and below said grade guide line whereby to alternately engage said line upon rise and fall of said supplemental frame.

6. In a grading machine of the character and for the purpose described, a tractor, a supplemental frame pivotally mounted on said tractor laterally thereof, an excavating element mounted on the forward end portion of said supplemental frame, means for raising and lowering said forward end portion of said supplemental frame, at will, said excavating element being yieldable in meeting resistance in excess of a predetermined degree, actuating means for said excavating element having an operable connection with the power driving mechanism of said tractor, said ac tuating means having provision for disconnecting it from said power driving mechanism, upon the yielding of said excavating element, and means operable upon the yielding of said excavating element for automatically rendering Said power driving mechanism inoperative as to said tractor simultaneously as said driving mechanism is rendered inoperative as to said excavating element.

'7. The machine as set forth in claim 6, and further comprising means for indicating high and low places in the path of said excavating element, comprising a visible signal element for indicating high and a distinctive element for indicating low, an audible signal element operable simultaneously with either of Said visible signal elements, a grade guide line paralleling'the path of the excavating element, and a pair of vertically spaced operating members, one for affecting the high signal element and the other for affecting the low signal element, said members normally projected respectively above and below said grade guide line whereby to alternately engage said line upon rise and fall of said supplemental frame and accordingly operate said signal elements.

JEAN H. KNOX. BEN GARNER, SR.

all) 

